Operating mechanism for radiator shutters



June 21, 1927. 1,633,021

F. J. IRVING OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RADIATOR SHUTTERS Filed Jan. 11. 1924 w jimz Patented June 21, .1927.

UNITED STATES" I 1,633,021 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. ,IBVING, or BUFFALO, nnw YORK, ASSIGNOR 'ro IRVING nuenmnnme saws 00., me, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ornne'rme uncnamsu iron RADIATOR snu'r'rnns.

Application filed January 11, 1924. Serial No. 685,706..

This invention relates to improvements in means forwoperating the shutters of automobile radiators.

The objects of this invention are to provide means whereby a shutter may be opened manually, preferably from the drivers seat, and closed automatically when the engine stops; also to provide means of this kind which are so constructed that the shutter may be closed manually at any time,-1f de-' sired; also to provide a device which, when the engine is in operation, acts to hold the shutteropen, and which, when the engme stops, releases the shutter to permit the same to close; also to improve'shutter controlhng means of this kind in other. respects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings:

-Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a radiator'shutter of a vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine and the means for controlling the opening and closing of the shutter.

Fig. 2-is a similar-view of the controlling means showing the position of the parts when the engine is operating and the shutter is open,

thereof on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the positions of the'parts when the device is set to be closed.

Figs. 5 and 6 are longitudinal sectional views. of two diffeernt modified constructions, the construction shown in Fig. 5- being operated by the suction from the engine intake manifold, and the construction shown in Fig. 6 being operated by pressure of the.

engine exhaust.

On the left'n Fig. 1 is shown a shutter of the kind adapted to be placed in front of a radiator (not shown) for cooling the liquid used for cooling the cylinders of an internal combustion engine, and this shutter may be of any suitable or desired kind, and of itself does not constitute a part of this invention. The shutter shown includes a frame or housingA on which are mounted a plurality of plates a which are adapted to swing from the closed position, shown in Fig. .1, to an open position in which "the plates extend for-' wardly to permit air to pass between adjacent plates to the radiator. The plates shown are each secured to rods a, the ends connected at its opposite ends to the con-,

Ilectingrod and to the frame of the shutter normally holds the connecting rod in a position in which all of the plates are in their closed positions, as shown in Fig. 1.. In order to move the connecting rod against the action of the spring b. into a position to open the shutter, one of the crank arms a has an extension or arm 6, to which one end of a cord or pull rodc is connected.

The other end of this cord extends preferably into proximity to the dash of the vehicle and is secured to a shutter control rod 0 which is slidably mounted on the dash, instrument board, or other part D of the vehicle. trol rod C is "preferably provided with a handle a ofany suitable kind by means of Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation which the shutter control rod may be pulled outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, to open the shutter. A

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the shutter control rod in an outer position sothat the shutter will be held open against the action of the spring 6 during the operation of the vehicle, and in the construction shown, a ratchet mechanism is provided for this purpose, including a pawl or detent E, pivoted at e on a bracket 6 secured to the dash or other part D of the vehicle, the pawl engaging with teeth 6 whichare Preferably formed in one face or side of the shutter con- -trol rod 0. Consequently, when the pawl engages the teeth a, the control rod will be held I in an outer position, in which the shutter plates (1 are held in a through the radiator.

In accordance with my invention, the closing of the shutter is eflected by the stopping position to let air pass The end of the shutter conof the engineand for thispurpose, in the I construction shown in the drawings, the'pawl E is held in position to engage with the teeth 6 of the shutter control rod by some means actuated by the engine while in operation and the pawl is adapted to be moved out of spring. I; to close the shutter.

engagement with the ratchet teeth as soon as the engine stops. This may be accomplished in a number of different we s three being shown in the acoompan ing rawings.

In the construction s own in Figs. 1 and 2, a magnet coil is employed for holding the pawl in its tooth-engaging position, and the current delivered to the magnet is interru ted as soon as the engine stops. In these gures, F represents a coil of wire which is wound on a spool, forming a solenoid which acts on a plun er or core f extending into the spool, this p unger having a pivotal connection at f with an arm or extension f of the pawl E. When the current flows through the coil F, the plun r f will be drawn downwardly into the coi thus swinging the pawl E upon itspivot e in a direction to cause the pawl to engage the teeth e. The movement of the plunger f into the coil is opposed b any suitable means, such as a spring which, in the construction shown, is also arranged within the coil F. Consequently, as soon as theflow of current to the coil F is interrupted, the force pulling the plunger F into the coil ceases to act, thus permitting the spring G to-move the plunger upwardly, and so move the pawl out of engagement with the 1 tooth e, thereby releasing the plunger or control rod O and permitting the The current delivered to the coil F may be received from any suitable source, and in the construction shown, this current is taken from the usual ignition switch H of the vehicle, this switch being diagrammatically represented in Figs. 1 and 2. A. conductor h from the switch leads tothe coil F, and the other end of the coil may be grounded, as indicated at 12/. Since the ignition switch is turned 0!? to stop the motor, the turning off of this switch will also interrupt the supply of current to the coil F so that the spring will consequently move the a'wl E out of its holding position, thus permitting the shutter to be closed'by the sprin b.

.Since it may bedesiraile at times to close the shutter while the engine is in operation, means are preferably provided for disconnecting the pawl E from the teeth e while the engine is running. This may be done in any suitable manner. In the construction shown for this urpose, the shutter control rod G is prefera hly substantially circular in cross section and is so mounted on the dash or instrument board D that the shutter con trol'rodmay be turned by turning the handle a. It will be evident that the turning of the rod in this manner will move the teeth clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3,

the rod C is shown in a position in which the pawl E engages with the teeth thereof, and in Fig. 4, the rod is shown turned so that the teeth are moved out of engagement with the .ment of the diaphragm Kb pawl." When this is done, the shutter control rod is freely ing position. r t I In the construction shown in Fig. 5, means "are provided for holdin the pawl E in engagement with the teet e= of the shutter control rod b a device 0 rated by the suction produce by the engine while in operation. In this constructioman arm I extend-- ing outwardly from the pawl E is connected by means of a .pin or link i to a diaphragm K stretched across the open. end of a-cup k. This cup is connected by means of a pi k with the engine intake manifold, or other part which is under suction during the operation of the engine. A spring L'arranged within the suction cup is opposes the movethe suction. In the construction shownin ig. 5, the diaphragm is shown drawn into the cup, due to the suction acting thereon, and the pawl E is consequently in engagement with the teeth 6 of the shutter control rod C. When the suction is broken, which occurs when the engine stops, the spring L will move the diaphragm K upwardly, thus causing the pawl E to swing about its pivot and to disengage the teeth 6.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6, pressure generated by the engine is utilized for holdingithe shutter open. In this case, a pawl is provided to, engage with the teeth 6 the pawl being pivoted at m on a bracket m secured to the dash or instrument board D. A cup n, having 9. diaphragm N stretched across the, open face thereof, is connected by means of a tube n to some part of the exhaust passages of the engine, or other source of pressure, so that when the engine is in operation, pressure will be transmitted to the cup 11., thus moving the diaphragmN outwardly. This diaphragm is connected with the pawl M by means of'a link or rod 0, and a sprin 0 is interposed between the diaphragm fl and the bracket m. Consequently,'when the di aphragm N is acted upon by the ressure caused, by the operation of the englne, the diaphragm, through the medium of the link 0, will move the pawl upwardly into a position to engage the teet e, this movement being effected against the action of the spring 0. When the pressure is interrupted, due to the stoppingl of the engine, the spring 0 presses the dia ragm N downwardly and draws the pawl out of engagement with the teeth e.

It will be obvious that other means operated by the'engine may be provided for holding the shutter in the open position during the operation of the engine and for causing the shutter to be closed as soon as the engine stops, the three forms being shown merely for purposes of illustrating some embodiments of my invention.

movable into the shutter clos-v III) shutter .in that the memory of the driver is not depended upon to close the shutter. The closing means described are simple and inexpensive in construction and thoroughly reliable in their action, and by providing means for permitting the manual closing of the shutter, the engine need not be stopped in order to adjust' the shutter forg-the de-x sired opening.

I claim as my invention: 7

1. The combination with a shutter for the radiator'of an internal combustion engine, means for normally closing said shutter, a shutter control device for openingsaid shutter aga nst the actionof said closing means, retaining means for holding said device in a shutter opening position, andmeans actuated by the stopping of the engine to cause said retainin means to release said shutter control dev1ce, to cause the shutter to be closed.

2. The combination with a shutter for the radiator of an internal combustion engine, manually controlled means for opening said shutter, a ratchet for holding said shutter open, and means controlled by the engine for releasingsaid ratchet to close the shutter when the engine stops.

3. The combination with a shutter for the radiator of an iintern-al combustion engine, manually controlled means for" opening said shutter, means operating while the engine is in operation to hold said manually controlled means in position to hold said shutteropen, whereb the shutter will be closed when the engine stops, and means operable at will for releasing said manually controlled means from said holding means.

4. The combination with a shutter for the radiator of an internal combustion engine, yielding means which tend to close said shutter, a ratchet mechanism for holding said shutter open, means controlled by the engine while running to hold said ratchet mechanism in operative relation to keep said shutter closed, and means operable at will to render said ratchet mechanism inoperative while the engine is running.

5. The combination with a shutter for the radiator of an internal combustion engine, yielding means which tend to close said shutter, a shutter control rod adapted to be moved lengthwise to open said shutter against the action of said yielding means, said rod having ratchet teeth, and a pawl held in en agement with said teeth by the engine whi e running, said ratchet teeth and stopped.

8. The combination with a shutter for the a radiator of an internal combustion engine,

pawl being movable out of engagement at willwhile the engine is running.

6. The combination with a shutter for the radiator of an internal combustion engine,

yielding means which tend to close said shutter, a shutter control rod adapted to be moved lengthwise to open said shutter against the action of said yieldin means, said rod having ratchet teeth, an a pawl held in engagement with said teeth by the engine while running to hold said shutter open, said rod being adapted to be turned to 1 -move said teeth out of engagement with said pawl, whereb the shutter may be closed manually whi e the engine is running.

7. The combination with a shutter for the radiator of an internal combustion engine,

manually controlled means for opening said shutter, electrically operated means for hold ing said shutter open, and means for interrupting the flow of current to said electrically operated means when the engine is yielding means which tend to close said shutter, means for opening said shutter against the action of said yielding means, an electro-magnetic device engaging said shutter opening means to hold the same in their opening position, and means for releasing 1 said electro-magnetic device from engagement with said OPQIIIIIO' means when the supply of current to said electro-magnetic device is interrupted.

9; The combination with a shutter for the v radiator of an internal combustion engine yielding means which tend to close sai shutter, a shutter control rod adapted to be moved lengthwise to 0 en said shutter against the action of sai yielding means,

said rod having ratchet teeth, a pawl' adapted to engage said teeth to hold said shutter open, and electro-magnetic means 0 .erable while the engine is running to ho d said pawl in engagement with said teeth.

10. The combination with a shutter for the radiator of an internal combustion engine, yielding means which tend to close said shutter, a ratchet device for holdin said shutter .open against the action 0 "said yieldingmeans, and electro-magnetic means which operate while the engine is running to hold said ratchet device in operative relation and which releases said ratchet device topermit the shutter to close when the supforholding said shutter open, and. means connected with the ignition switch of the engine to supply current to said electromagnetic device when said ignition switch is closed, whereby the opening of said ignition switch will cause the shutter to be closed.

FRANK J. IRVING. 

